IT’S JONNY BRAVO!
Evans sets up play-off party with early goal
THE Northern ireland fans sang about how it was like watching Brazil and manager Michael O’Neill had goosebumps as his side guaranteed a toptwo finish alongside Germany in Group C.
By beating the Czech Republic, securing a fifth consecutive win for the first time in their history, they have all but confirmed a 2018 World Cup play-off place.
it came courtesy of West Bromwich Albion. First, Jonny Evans showed his failed move to Manchester City on deadline day has proven no distraction with a firsthalf header.
Then, his West Brom team-mate Chris Brunt scored their second from a free-kick. Job done in Belfast, and the Green and White Army are confident they will be on the road to Russia.
With only his second goal in 11 years of international football, Evans got Northern ireland going and the centre back has been instrumental in them not conceding in seven of their eight qualifying matches.
‘Jonny’s been brilliant this week,’ O’Neill said. ‘He’s had a lot on his plate. He dealt with it so well. The Czechs are physical players and Oct 5 we had to deal with that. You need a player with top-class game intelligence and that’s something Jonny has in abundance.
‘Eight games, seven clean sheets, and Jonny Evans has played in all eight games for us. i don’t think that’s a coincidence.’
World champions Germany — the next visitors to Belfast — are five points ahead with two games to go. And now third-placed Azerbaijan cannot catch them.
O’Neill continued: ‘i said to the boys, “You think you didn’t have a lot of the ball tonight? Get ready for the game in October”. it’s a great game for us now — we’ve got nothing to lose.
‘We will come up with a game plan and the players will execute it as good as they can. The atmosphere in the stadium is a big part. Even coming in on the coach is something the players relish.’
This was a night when all went according to plan and no team in the two-legged play-offs will want to play at a packed Windsor Park.
The Czechs saw plenty of possession but did little with it, and it was the Northern irish who found the breakthrough in the 28th minute. A cleared corner was headed back into the six-yard box by Oliver Norwood. With the Czech defence pushing out, Evans was there all alone, and he nodded the ball beyond Tomas Vaclik.
Once again, Windsor Park was rocking, and Brunt gave them another reason to raise the volume shortly before half-time.
Corry Evans won a free-kick from 25 yards in the 41st minute before Brunt buried it into the bottom corner.
O’Neill’s half-time team talk will have been a reminder to his team that only Germany have scored against them in this qualifying campaign. Make sure that stays the same and they would have their top-two spot.
There was little sign of the Czechs ruining the party and Northern ireland had their three points. Russia is a step closer.